The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is currently grappling with a well blowout incident at its Rudrasagar oil field in Assam's Sivasagar district. The incident, which began on Thursday, June 12, 2025, has resulted in an uncontrolled release of gas from Well No. RDS-147. While immediate safety protocols were activated, and emergency services were deployed, the gas continues to spew uncontrollably as of Friday, June 13, 2025.
According to ONGC, the blowout occurred during servicing operations at the well around 11:45 AM. Gushes of gas were observed, prompting the company to secure the site and dispatch an emergency response team led by the Asset Manager. Reinforcement teams and technical specialists are also being mobilized to assist in normalizing operations.
Fortunately, no injuries or fire have been reported thus far. ONGC has stated that the situation is currently under control, and they are confident in bringing the well back to normal soon. A detailed investigation has been launched to determine the root cause of the incident. The well, which was not under production at the time of the blowout, was undergoing a perforation job for zone transfer, a type of servicing that prepares it for production from a new zone. The uncontrolled gas release occurred immediately after the perforation.
The incident has stirred concerns among local communities, with some residents in nearby areas choosing to temporarily evacuate their homes as a precautionary measure, fearing a potential blast.
This incident has evoked memories of the 2020 Baghjan blowout, a major industrial disaster in the Northeast. That incident, involving an Oil India Limited (OIL) well in Tinsukia district, resulted in a gas leak that lasted for 173 days, claiming the lives of three employees and injuring several others. The well eventually caught fire, requiring a multi-agency effort to control and extinguish the blaze. The Baghjan incident highlighted the importance of swift and effective management of well blowouts to prevent long-term environmental and social consequences.
ONGC share price is trading at ₹251.04, up by ₹3.16 or 1.27% from the previous close. The stock opened at ₹255.55 and recorded an intraday high of ₹255.95 and a low of ₹249.12. The company has a market capitalisation of ₹3.16 lakh crore and a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 8.72. The stock has recorded a 52-week high of ₹345.00 and a 52-week low of ₹205.00.
As ONGC works to regain control of the Rudrasagar well, the focus remains on ensuring the safety of personnel and surrounding areas, minimizing environmental impact, and preventing a repeat of the prolonged crisis seen during the Baghjan incident.
